To Doc to be able to build time train

[Clord]

I'm pretty sure that many hardcore fans has thought this out but.

To build something as advanced like Time Train way ahead of time before technology has even advanced enough to do reliable missiles, it would mean that he somehow made fortune and quickly invented needed technology as top secret project or something.

Anyways it is one of those jump the shark moments but then again we are talking about the movie series with time travel technology.

Of course many countries would probably gladly fund something what they thought would not be possible or is so advanced that it is almost alien.

[MichaelJ Fox isAntarctian]

Doc has his ways. We don't know them, but he has his ways. Wow, that could work as a great signature...

[Scnew]

Is it really considered jumping the shark if it's in the last five minutes of the last movie? :P

Anyway, we don't know how long it took Doc to build it. We also don't know how many of the weird gadgets we saw on the train he got in the future. I think its safe to assume that for its first trip out of the 1880's, the train was a pretty bare-bones set up, then he tricked it out in the future. After all, that's what he did with the DeLorean, too.

[sjtfly]

First of all, Doc could easily amass a large fortune rather quickly with all of his inventions. Remember, he did invent the first ice maker after all.

Secondly, Doc says that the train runs on steam, so he obviously figured out new ways to build a time machine. Who knows what other modifications he's made to the train. It could easily use parts that are part of the time period and things Doc invents.

I don't see a huge plot hole here.

[Michael J Fox is Canadian]

Originally Posted by sjtfly

First of all, Doc could easily amass a large fortune rather quickly with all of his inventions. Remember, he did invent the first ice maker after all.

Secondly, Doc says that the train runs on steam, so he obviously figured out new ways to build a time machine. Who knows what other modifications he's made to the train. It could easily use parts that are part of the time period and things Doc invents.

I don't see a huge plot hole here.

They put that "it runs on steam" line in for a reason.... remember this is the same film in which doc can not get the DeLorean to time travel due to suitable replacement parts not being available until 1947 or for that matter the first film in which he could not get the working delorean to time travel without plutonium. This is of course Doc whom presumably has been around an extra 10-15 years. Maybe he would have eventually figured this out without marty going to the old west had he not been shot by Buford, we'll never know.

[Spengler56]

I thought it was a stretch at first for Doc to able to build that train. Then again, he would only need to make one time machine time and he has all the time he needs to make the train. And remember, the busted Delorean is still in the cave the whole time.

[ShadowX81]

But, he can't raid parts from that time machine or else Marty wouldnt be able to get back to 1885 (or as doc intended 1985). I always find it wierd that a genius like Doc had months to think about it and couldnt find a way to get back without replacement parts invented in 1947, yet suddenly was able to.
My guess is that in the intervening years, he was able to figure out a way to make vaccum tubes work given current technology. Odds are this was the replacement part he was reffering to.

[Spengler56]

Originally Posted by ShadowX81

But, he can't raid parts from that time machine or else Marty wouldnt be able to get back to 1885 (or as doc intended 1985). I always find it wierd that a genius like Doc had months to think about it and couldnt find a way to get back without replacement parts invented in 1947, yet suddenly was able to.
My guess is that in the intervening years, he was able to figure out a way to make vaccum tubes work given current technology. Odds are this was the replacement part he was reffering to.

Doc stated in his letter that he did not want to leave 1885, which is why he told Marty not to go back for him. And also if Doc really wanted to, he could use the busted Delorean to make a new time Machine, go to the future to replace the parts and put the Delorean back in the cave.

[Tyrfing42]

I hadn't thought about him getting rich, and finding investors to help build it before. Doesn't sound like doc, and seems like something that would create a huge impact that might have to be fixed.

Originally Posted by ShadowX81

But, he can't raid parts from that time machine or else Marty wouldnt be able to get back to 1885 (or as doc intended 1985). I always find it wierd that a genius like Doc had months to think about it and couldnt find a way to get back without replacement parts invented in 1947, yet suddenly was able to.
My guess is that in the intervening years, he was able to figure out a way to make vaccum tubes work given current technology. Odds are this was the replacement part he was reffering to.

He does have a hoverboard to use parts from now though, which he didn't have when he wrote that letter. It's not much, but it couldn't hurt.

Originally Posted by Scnew

Is it really considered jumping the shark if it's in the last five minutes of the last movie? :P

Anyway, we don't know how long it took Doc to build it. We also don't know how many of the weird gadgets we saw on the train he got in the future. I think its safe to assume that for its first trip out of the 1880's, the train was a pretty bare-bones set up, then he tricked it out in the future. After all, that's what he did with the DeLorean, too.

Yeah, he definitely added the hover-conversion in the future.
I'd say that those giant coils on the side of the train are probably an example of what he was working with in the late 1800's.

[Colucci]

Well here is my theory

well, remember the delorean in the mine that wouldnt be opened up till 100 years in the future?? Doc could of "borrowed" that and maybe other time travel equipment and put the on the train, yet the train wouldnt hover untill he reached the future

But he didnt go way into the future he just went in time where he could make it himself, before marty was born to avoid paradox. Returned to the past and replaced the old delorean time travel equipment with the new ones and put the delorean ones back in

he then travels to the future to get a hover conversion

he goes back in time

Marty asked " Where are you going now? The future?
Doc replies " No Ive already been there"

just my theory

[Shadowknight1]

There's magnets and steam. Face it fellas. The fact of the matter is, Doc Brown invented a STEAMPUNK TIME MACHINE!

[Marty Mcfly III]

Originally Posted by Colucci

Well here is my theory

well, remember the delorean in the mine that wouldnt be opened up till 100 years in the future?? Doc could of "borrowed" that and maybe other time travel equipment and put the on the train, yet the train wouldnt hover untill he reached the future

But he didnt go way into the future he just went in time where he could make it himself, before marty was born to avoid paradox. Returned to the past and replaced the old delorean time travel equipment with the new ones and put the delorean ones back in

he then travels to the future to get a hover conversion

he goes back in time

Marty asked " Where are you going now? The future?
Doc replies " No Ive already been there"

just my theory

He couldn't have 'borrowed' the deloreon because the way the bttf universe works, whether he intended to return it or not it still would have caused a paradox.

Also it just doesnt seam like Doc to take such a big risk for something like this.

[ShadowX81]

Originally Posted by Spengler56

Doc stated in his letter that he did not want to leave 1885, which is why he told Marty not to go back for him. And also if Doc really wanted to, he could use the busted Delorean to make a new time Machine, go to the future to replace the parts and put the Delorean back in the cave.

Doc knows better than anyone that is probably was not best for him to stay in the past and potentially screw things up. No matter how happy he might have been, as a scientist he would have seen things pragmatically and realized he should go back to his own time. Doc even implied in the letter that he tried to fix the time machine, but was unable to.

Doc didnt want Marty to return to 1885 because he didn't want Marty to risk screwing up the past or potentially getting them both stuck (which happened). He even specifically states so in the letter. He probably just saw it as the lesser of two evils to have himself there, and told Marty he was happy just to reassure him.